Curriculum Overview
for
SCIENCE
Revised: Summer 2015
To be reviewed: Summer 2016
Year 1
Lesson Allocation:
2 lessons per week
Schemes of work used/ textbooks/resources:
The scheme of work follows that recommended by the QCA but teachers are encouraged to carry
out extension or project work if time permits.
Teaching methods:
Investigations/experiments
Research
Equal opportunities created via investigative work
Written work:
Simple recording and writing up experiments will be undertaken at a level appropriate to the
individual. This will include drawing pictures, early writing or independent writing, according to ability.
The children are also observed with what they say, make and do.
Homework:
None is set before Year 4
Assessment:
Teachers build up their assessments throughout the year on a cumulative basis, from ongoing
learning and direct teaching to the whole class, and smaller group/individual sessions, teaching,
marking class work, provision of correct answers by pupils, discussion, observation and investigation.
Topics/Skills:
Term 1
Ourselves
Through this unit children learn about their senses and how they can use them to explore the world
around them. They also learn that humans and other animals move and grow. Experimental and
investigative work focuses on:
 exploring and using senses
 observing and describing living things, and communicating what happened in their work.
Within this unit there are opportunities for children to consider how to treat each other (mutual
respect) and other living things with care and sensitivity.
Light and dark
This unit develops children's understanding of the need for light in order to see things. Children learn
that darkness is the absence of light and that in the absence of sunlight other light sources are seen
more easily.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:
 making suggestions of how to investigate an idea
 making observations and comparisons
 explaining observations.
Work in this unit also offers opportunities for children to relate their understanding of science to
everyday experiences of light and darkness and to health and safety.
Term 2
Sorting and using materials
Through this unit children learn about the characteristics and uses of a range of common materials
and vocabulary for describing and comparing materials.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:
 thinking about what is expected to happen
 turning ideas into a form that can be tested
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 making observations and comparisons.
Work in this unit also offers opportunities for using IT to store information and for relating
understanding of science to materials found in the home.
Growing plants
This unit introduces children to the idea of plants as living things which grow and change. Children
should become aware of similarities and differences in plants. Children visit Kew Gardens to look at
plants from different cultures.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:
 turning ideas into a form that can be tested
 making and recording observations
 using results to communicate what happened and to draw conclusions.
Children also have opportunities to link their knowledge of how plants grow to their understanding of
science and to ways in which growing plants should be treated with sensitivity.
Term 3
Pushes and pulls
In this unit children learn about different sorts of movement and how to describe these. They relate
movement to pushes and pulls. Children visit the Science Museum to look at forces.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:
 making observations and communicating these.
Work in this unit also offers opportunities for children to relate understanding of movement to
everyday contexts such as road safety.
Sound and hearing
In this unit children develop their understanding of the huge variety of sounds and sources of sound
they encounter. They relate sounds to their sense of hearing and are introduced to the idea that
sounds travel away from a source.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:
 making, recording and presenting observations
 drawing conclusions.
Work in this unit also offers opportunities for children to relate understanding of sound and hearing to
everyday experiences. Hearing impaired children will need particular support in this unit. They will be
helped by visual demonstrations of the properties of musical instruments and by attention to the
vibrations as sounds are produced. It is important for teachers to help children to be sensitive to
those who are hearing impaired.
Extension/support materials
 More able children are given extra work, when core work has been completed and extra help
is given to those who find the course work more difficult.
Year 2
Lesson Allocation:
2 lessons per week.
Schemes of work used/ textbooks/resources:
The scheme of work follows that recommended by the QCA but teachers are encouraged to carry
out extension or project work if time permits.
Teaching methods:
Discrete science lessons
Cross-curricular science in all subjects when applicable
Equal opportunities created via investigative work
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Written work:
Simple recording will be undertaken at a level appropriate to the individual. This will include drawing
pictures, early writing or independent writing, according to ability. The children are also observed
with what they say, make and do.
Homework:
Occasional science homework
Assessment:
Teachers build up their assessments throughout the year on a cumulative basis, from ongoing
learning and direct teaching to the whole class, and smaller group/individual sessions, teaching,
marking class work, provision of correct answers by pupils, discussion, observation and investigation.
Topics/Skills:
Term 1
Forces and movement
The work in this unit extends children's understanding of how pushes and pulls affect the movement
and shape of objects.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:
 thinking about what is expected to happen
 making measurements
 recording and presenting results and deciding whether the results support the prediction
 deciding whether comparisons are fair.
Children also have opportunities to relate science to the ways in which familiar objects move.
Using electricity
This unit introduces children to the concept of electricity and the essential role it plays in everyday
life. It introduces children to the hazards associated with mains electricity.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:
 thinking about what is expected to happen and whether results support the prediction
 exploring and testing circuits
 making observations and explaining what has been found out.
The unit links children's everyday experiences of electricity to scientific ideas and the importance of
following instructions to control risks to themselves.
Term 2
Health and growth
Through this unit children learn that animals (including humans) grow and reproduce. They can use
ideas about feeding and growth to learn about ways we need to look after ourselves to stay healthy
(reference to mutual respect and individual liberty).
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:
 making and recording observations and simple comparisons
 presenting information in charts and tables
Children will also have opportunities to consider ways in which science is relevant to their personal
health and to relate science to aspects of their everyday life (food, exercise, medicines), and to
recognise and control hazards and risks to themselves.
This work is likely to be undertaken in relation to the school's programme for personal, social and
health education.
Grouping and changing materials
Through this unit children learn to distinguish between an object and the material from which it is
made. They learn about some of the ways materials can be changed and that heating can cause
changes which produce materials which are often useful.
Experimental and investigative work in this unit focuses on:
 thinking about what is expected to happen
 making and recording observations and comparisons
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 deciding whether a test is fair.
Work also offers opportunities for children to relate science to domestic contexts eg cooking and to
recognise hazards and risks to themselves and to control these.
Term 3
Plants and animals in the local environment
Through this unit children learn about plants and animals in their immediate environment and how
differences between places very close to each other result in a different range of plants and animals
being found. They learn that like humans, plants and other animals reproduce.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:
 turning ideas into questions that can be investigated
 presenting results
 drawing conclusions.
Work in this unit also offers opportunities to relate understanding of science to the local environment,
to consider how to treat living things and the environment with care and sensitivity and to recognise
hazards to themselves and to take action to control the risks from these hazards.
Variation
Through this unit children will become more aware of the huge variety of living things within their
local environment and of differences between them. They will learn that although individual living
things are different there are similarities which can help to sort them into groups and that this is
helpful.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:
 making observations, measurements and comparisons
 presenting findings in drawings and block graphs
 using results to draw conclusions.
Work in this unit also offers opportunities for children to relate understanding of science to
environmental contexts and to consider how to treat living things with sensitivity.
Some of this unit may be undertaken in relation to the school's programme for personal, social and
health education.
Extension/support materials
 More able children are given extra work, when core work has been completed and extra help
is given to those who find the course work more difficult.
 Teachers can carry out extension work as long as it does not involve work due to be taught
in the following year. This could involve an appreciation of the animals that share our local
environment
Year 3
Lesson Allocation:
2 lessons per week – 105 minutes in total
Schemes of work used/ textbooks/resources:
The scheme of work follows that recommended by the QCA but teachers are encouraged to
carry out extension or project work if time permits.
Scholastic 100 Science Lessons Book Year 3 is used by teachers as a resource to
supplement the QCA scheme.
Teaching methods:
Emphasis is put on practical/investigative work; understanding is tested by written exercises
completed in class and for homework as well as by aural work.
Equal opportunities created via investigative work
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Written work:
Work is done in an exercise book. It is assessed on effort, neatness, clarity of ideas and
factual/investigative content.
Homework:
Is set at least twice a term, with a time allocation of 90 minutes.
Assessment:
Written assessment given at the end of each topic. Ongoing assessment of verbal and
written answers in lessons.
Topics/Skills:
Term 1
Teeth and eating: Work in this unit will reinforce and develop children's knowledge of their
personal health and how this relates to diet.
They will learn about how teeth are related to diet and the importance of dental care.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:


deciding what evidence to collect
deciding whether evidence is sufficient to support conclusions.
Work also offers opportunities for children to relate understanding of science to their
personal health.
Helping plants grow well: In this unit children learn about what plants need to grow well
and why it is important that they do.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:
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

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considering what evidence should be collected
making careful measurements
considering how good the evidence is
using results to draw conclusions.
Work in this unit also offers opportunities for children to relate their knowledge about the
growth of plants to everyday contexts.
Term 2
Characteristics of materials: Through this unit children should extend their knowledge of
the range of materials we use and of the properties that characterise them. This knowledge
will help them recognise what needs to be considered when a material is chosen for a
particular use.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:
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
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planning investigations
deciding what to change, what to keep the same and what to measure
deciding whether a fair comparison was made
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
using results to draw conclusions.
Rocks and soils: Work in this unit also offers opportunities for children to relate science to
materials they use every day, to obtain evidence to test ideas, and to identify hazards and
risks as they work.
Through this unit children should come to recognise that underneath all surfaces is rock
which they may not be able to see, that rocks get broken down into pebbles and soils which
we can often see, and that there are different sorts of rock with different characteristics.
Pebbles and soils from different rocks consequently have different characteristics.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:
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


considering whether a test is fair
measuring volumes of liquids using appropriate apparatus
making comparisons
drawing and suggesting explanations for conclusions.
Work in this unit also offers opportunities for children to use their understanding of science
to explain observations about rocks and soils, for children to collect evidence to test ideas,
and to recognise hazards and risks.
Term 3
Magnets and springs: This unit gives children experience of forces, including attraction
and repulsion between magnets, compression and stretching of springs and stretching of
elastic bands. They learn that these forces have direction and can vary in size. They also
learn which materials are attracted to magnets.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:



making simple predictions
planning what evidence to collect
interpreting evidence and using it to draw conclusions.
Work in this unit also offers many opportunities to relate science to everyday things eg
magnets for toys and household appliances, and to discuss sorting materials for recycling.
Light and shadows: This unit introduces the relationship between light, an object and the
formation of shadows. Children observe the apparent movement of the Sun and the
associated changes in shadows.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:



making and recording measurements and observations
drawing conclusions
suggesting explanations for observations and conclusions.
Work in this unit also offers children opportunities to explain shadows using scientific
knowledge and to recognise the hazards and risks in looking at the Sun.
Year 4
Lesson Allocation:
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1-2 lessons per week – 105 minutes in total
Schemes of work used/ textbooks/resources:
The scheme of work follows that recommended by the QCA but teachers are encouraged to
carry out extension or project work if time permits.
Scholastic 100 Science Lessons Book Year 4 is used by teachers as a resource to
supplement the QCA scheme.
Teaching methods:
Emphasis is put on practical/investigative work; understanding is tested by written exercises
completed in class and for homework as well as by aural work.
Equal opportunities created via investigative work
Written work:
Work is done in an exercise book. It is assessed on effort, neatness, clarity of ideas and
factual/investigative content.
Homework:
Is set at least twice a term, with a time allocation of 90 minutes.
Assessment:
Written assessment given at the end of each topic. Ongoing assessment of verbal and
written answers in lessons.
Topics/Skills:
Term 1
Moving and growing: Through this unit children learn about how the skeleton is related to
movement and support in humans and what happens to the skeleton and muscles as they
move (reference to mutual respect – people grow at different rates and are different sizes).
They also compare human bones and skeletons with those of other animals.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:
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

turning questions into a form that can be investigated and collecting sufficient
evidence
making observation, measurements and comparisons
interpreting evidence.
Work in this unit also offers opportunities for children to relate understanding of science to
personal health.
Keeping warm: Through this unit children build on their ideas about temperatures as a
measure of how hot or cold objects are and learn about thermal insulators as materials
which can help to keep things warm or cool.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:
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

turning ideas into a form that can be investigated
using thermometers to make careful measurements of temperature
identifying and suggesting explanations for patterns and trends in results and using
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results to draw conclusions.
Children will also have opportunities to use ICT to collect, retrieve and present information
and to use their understanding of science to explain everyday phenomena about keeping
warm and cooling down.
Term 2
Solids, liquids and how they can be separated: In this unit children learn about the
differences between solids and liquids and recognise that the same material can exist as
both solid and liquid. They identify changes that occur when solids and liquids are mixed
and how to separate un-dissolved solids from a liquid. They learn that melting and
dissolving are different and recognise that when a solid dissolves it is still there.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:
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

deciding what apparatus to use
making and recording observations and measurements
drawing conclusions.
Work in this unit also offers opportunities for children to explain everyday observations about
processes such as dissolving and filtering using scientific ideas.
Circuits and conductors
This unit builds on children’s previous practical experience of making circuits and extends
their understanding of circuits, conductors and insulators and the need for a complete circuit
in order for a device to work. Children are introduced to ways in which they can vary the
current in a circuit.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:


using ideas about circuits to construct circuits and investigate how they work
using results to draw conclusions.
Work in this unit also offers opportunities for children to relate their knowledge about
electricity to everyday contexts and to recognise and take action to avoid hazards and
risks to themselves.
Term 3
Friction: In this unit children build on their existing knowledge of forces and learn that forces
can be measured and compared. The unit focuses on friction as a force which exists
between objects moving across solid surfaces and opposes motion, and the forces of air
resistance and water resistance which oppose the motion of objects moving through air and
water.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:


deciding what evidence should be collected when planning and carrying out a fair
test
making measurements using a forcemeter
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
looking for patterns in results, interpreting and suggesting explanations for these.
Work in this unit also offers opportunities to relate knowledge and understanding of fictional
forces to everyday contexts and to recognise that science provides explanations for familiar
phenomena related to friction.
Habitats
Habitats: Through this unit children will begin to understand the concept of a habitat, how it
provides organisms found there with conditions for life and how animals depend on plants or
other animals which eat plants for food. Throughout the unit ways in which organisms are
suited to the habitat are emphasised.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:
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

turning ideas into a form that can be tested, making a prediction
making observations
deciding whether the evidence supports the prediction and suggesting explanations
in terms of their knowledge of science.
Work in this unit also provides opportunities for children to learn about the interdependence
of living things and how the environment and living things need to be protected.
Year 5
Lesson Allocation:
1-2 lessons per week – 105 minutes in total
Schemes of work used/ textbooks/resources:
The scheme of work follows that recommended by the QCA but teachers are encouraged to
carry out extension or project work if time permits.
Scholastic 100 Science Lessons Book Year 5 is used by teachers as a resource to
supplement the QCA scheme.
Teaching methods:
Emphasis is put on practical/investigative work; understanding is tested by written exercises
completed in class and for homework as well as by aural work.
Equal opportunities created via investigative work
Written work:
Work is done in an exercise book. It is assessed on effort, neatness, clarity of ideas and
factual/investigative content.
Homework:
Is set at least twice a term, with a time allocation of 120 minutes.
Assessment:
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Written assessment given at the end of each topic. Ongoing assessment of verbal and
written answers in lessons.
Topics/Skills:
Term 1
Changing sounds: Through this unit children learn that sounds are produced by vibrations
and that these vibrations travel from the source through a variety of materials. Musical
instruments are used to illustrate the range of ways of producing sounds and how pitch and
loudness can be altered.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:


turning ideas into a form that can be investigated and making predictions
deciding whether the evidence is sufficient to support the prediction.
Work in this unit also offers opportunities for children to use scientific knowledge and
understanding about sound to explain familiar phenomena and to relate this to their
understanding of musical instruments.
Earth, sun and moon:
In this unit children learn about the shapes and relative sizes of the Earth, Sun and Moon.
Using models they learn how the three bodies move relative to each other and how these
movements relate to night and day.
Experimental and investigative work in this unit focuses on:
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
making observations and recognising patterns in first hand and secondary data
representing data in graphs.
Work in this unit offers opportunities for children to relate scientific knowledge and
understanding to familiar phenomena eg day length, year length and to consider scientific
evidence about the Earth, Sun and Moon. Reference to tolerance of those of different faiths
and beliefs – the beliefs of various scientists’ theories through the ages. E.g. Solar system
models (heliocentric/geocentric).
A visit to Royal Observatory Greenwich Planetarium is scheduled for this term.
Term 2
Gases around us: Through this unit children learn that gases are material and can be
distinguished from solids and liquids by their properties. They also learn about the uses of
some important gases and where gases are found.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:
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
making and repeating observations
relating observations and conclusions to scientific knowledge and understanding.
Work in this unit also offers opportunities for children to use scientific knowledge and
understanding to explain everyday phenomena related to air and other gases.
Changing state:
Through this unit children consolidate their ideas about changes of state which can be
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reversed. They use their understanding to explain a range of familiar phenomena.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:
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

making observations and measurements and presenting these
identifying patterns in results
suggesting explanations for observations and conclusions in terms of scientific
knowledge and understanding.
Work also offers opportunities for using IT to obtain, collect, retrieve and present data and
using knowledge and understanding of science to explain and interpret everyday
observations related to changes of state.
Term 3:
Keeping healthy: This unit helps children to learn that there are many aspects to keeping
healthy. Children learn about the heart and how heart beat is affected by exercise and relate
this to what they already know about movement and exercise.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:



repeating measurements
representing data in bar charts and graphs, and interpreting these
using results to draw conclusions.
Work in this unit also offers opportunities for children to find out how early scientific ideas
about diet and health were tested. It helps them to use knowledge and understanding of
science to explain and interpret phenomena related to their personal health. Teaching about
tobacco, alcohol and other drugs is likely to be undertaken in relation to the education
programme for personal, social and health education.
Life cycles:
Through this unit children learn that plants and animals reproduce as part of their life cycle
and that in every life cycle there are distinct processes and stages. They should begin to
understand how reproduction is important to the survival of the species.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:


making observations and comparisons
drawing conclusions.
Work in this unit also offers children opportunities to relate their knowledge and
understanding of science to their personal health and to consider ways in which living things
need protection.
Some of the work in this unit is likely to be undertaken in relation to personal, social and
health education, consistent with the school's sex education policy.
Year 6
Lesson Allocation:
1-2 lessons per week – 105 minutes in total
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Schemes of work used/ textbooks/resources:
The scheme of work follows that recommended by the QCA but teachers are encouraged to
carry out extension or project work if time permits.
Scholastic 100 Science Lessons Book Year 6 is used by teachers as a resource to
supplement the QCA scheme.
Teaching methods:
Emphasis is put on practical/investigative work; understanding is tested by written exercises
completed in class and for homework as well as by aural work.
Equal opportunities created via investigative work
Written work:
Work is done in an exercise book. It is assessed on effort, neatness, clarity of ideas and
factual/investigative content.
Homework:
Is set at least twice a term, with a time allocation of 120 minutes.
Assessment:
Written assessment given at the end of each topic. Ongoing assessment of verbal and
written answers in lessons.
Topics/Skills:
Term 1
Interpendence and adaption: In this unit children extend their knowledge of the way in
which plants and animals in different habitats depend upon each other and are suited to
their environment. They relate feeding relationships to knowledge of plant nutrition.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:


making careful observations and measurements
using results to draw conclusions and suggesting explanations for these using
scientific knowledge and understanding.
Work in this unit also offers children opportunities to explain feeding relationships in a
habitat in terms of scientific knowledge and understanding and to consider ways in which
the living things and the environment need protection.
Micro-organisms:
Through this unit children learn that there are many very small organisms called microorganisms which feed, grow and reproduce and which may be harmful or beneficial.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:



making observations
drawing conclusions
suggesting explanations for conclusions, using scientific knowledge and
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understanding.
Work in this unit also offers children the opportunity to use scientific ideas to explain some
causes of illness and decay, to relate micro-organisms to food production and to relate
science to their personal health.
Some of the work in this unit is likely to be undertaken in relation to the school's programme
for personal, social and health education.
Term 2
How we see things:
In this unit children learn that mirrors and shiny surfaces alter the direction in which light
travels and that when they see objects, light enters the eye. Children contrast reflection and
shadow formation.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:
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planning and carrying out a fair test
making observations and measurements
recognising when to repeat measurements
presenting results in line graphs
identifying patterns in data.
Work in this unit also offers opportunities for children to relate their understanding of light,
reflection and shadow formation to everyday phenomena.
Forces in action: In this unit children apply their knowledge of a variety of forces, including
magnetic attraction, gravitational attraction and friction. Children learn about the changes in
motion which occur when forces act on an object. They consolidate their understanding that
forces have direction and can be measured.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:




making and repeating measurements
considering patterns in results
representing data in line graphs
using results to draw conclusions.
Work in this unit also offers opportunities for children to use understanding about forces to
explain everyday phenomena and to obtain evidence to test scientific ideas.
Term 3
Changing circuits:
This unit is designed to revise concepts to which children have been introduced in Year 2
and Year 4. The unit consolidates children's knowledge of materials which are electrical
conductors, extends understanding of ways in which the brightness of bulbs or speed of
motors in a circuit can be changed and develops children's understanding of the value of
using conventional symbols for communication.
This unit provides opportunities for children to carry out a complete investigation relating to
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electric circuits.
Work in this unit also offers opportunities for relating knowledge and understanding of
electricity to familiar phenomena.
More about dissolving: This unit consolidates and extends children's understanding of
what happens when a variety of solids dissolve.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:
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


making and testing predictions
planning a fair test
repeating observations and measurements and evaluating these
representing data in line graphs and interpreting what these show.
Reversible and irreversible changes:
Work in this unit also offers opportunities for relating understanding of dissolving to everyday
contexts.
This unit brings together and consolidates work that children have done before on reversible
changes eg melting, freezing, evaporating, dissolving, condensing, introduces burning as a
change that cannot be reversed and, like other irreversible changes, produces new
materials.
Experimental and investigative work focuses on:


making careful observations
suggesting explanations for observations, using scientific knowledge and
understanding.
Work in this unit also offers opportunities for using scientific knowledge and understanding
to explain and interpret a range of everyday changes.
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